installation failures on updates

Hi all,
I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
troubleshooting
techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
"WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
reinstall windows
update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?

This is beyond my technical expertise with windows but I would recommend
waiting a day or two before attempting to re-install your operating system. I
have experienced the same problem in the past and today (8/13) with the
update site. In the past I found that the the problem was with the MS website
and was rectified within a day. If you are convinced the problem is in the
installation of your operating system there is an option available to
repair/update a previous install on the windows XP disc. Load the disc and it
will give you options to install or to update/repair without deleting other
programs on your computer. Unless you have a 64 bit version of windows the
file you referenced will not be compatible with earlier 32bit windows
operating sytems. Don't be rash unless you don't mind having to start from
scratch should things get really haywire. Patience may pay off. Good Luck.
Bob

"Speedy G." wrote:

> Hi all,
> I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> troubleshooting
> techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> reinstall windows
> update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
>

***Before I go on I must say the file that is in question is
WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe and not the one previously mentioned***. From
what I understand this is supposed to install the windows update engine or
files only. Am I correct? If so, should this file reinstall windows update
files only and maybe clear up whatever is causing updates to fail? If I don't
have to do an XP repair, I won't. My windows XP installation is fine. It's
only failing to install the updates from windows update. This problem has
been going on for a few weeks now and have exhausted alot of troubleshooting
techniques. Thanks
rbriggs2
"rbriggs2" wrote:

> This is beyond my technical expertise with windows but I would recommend
> waiting a day or two before attempting to re-install your operating system. I
> have experienced the same problem in the past and today (8/13) with the
> update site. In the past I found that the the problem was with the MS website
> and was rectified within a day. If you are convinced the problem is in the
> installation of your operating system there is an option available to
> repair/update a previous install on the windows XP disc. Load the disc and it
> will give you options to install or to update/repair without deleting other
> programs on your computer. Unless you have a 64 bit version of windows the
> file you referenced will not be compatible with earlier 32bit windows
> operating sytems. Don't be rash unless you don't mind having to start from
> scratch should things get really haywire. Patience may pay off. Good Luck.
> Bob
>
> "Speedy G." wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> > I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> > updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> > updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> > troubleshooting
> > techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> > "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> > with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> > reinstall windows
> > update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> > files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
> >

hello im missing two files one SKU011.CAB. the otherPRO11.MSI. im trying to
be legit, i have a copy of xp pro now and office 2003 can't do office or
windows updates please help. scott ive tried to delete things the microsoft
rep said to, no avail. tried to repair and install.

"rbriggs2" wrote:

> This is beyond my technical expertise with windows but I would recommend
> waiting a day or two before attempting to re-install your operating system. I
> have experienced the same problem in the past and today (8/13) with the
> update site. In the past I found that the the problem was with the MS website
> and was rectified within a day. If you are convinced the problem is in the
> installation of your operating system there is an option available to
> repair/update a previous install on the windows XP disc. Load the disc and it
> will give you options to install or to update/repair without deleting other
> programs on your computer. Unless you have a 64 bit version of windows the
> file you referenced will not be compatible with earlier 32bit windows
> operating sytems. Don't be rash unless you don't mind having to start from
> scratch should things get really haywire. Patience may pay off. Good Luck.
> Bob
>
> "Speedy G." wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> > I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> > updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> > updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> > troubleshooting
> > techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> > "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> > with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> > reinstall windows
> > update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> > files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
> >

Sorry, I should have read your first post more carefully - you likely don't
have a problem with your XP install. I'm not familiar with the file you are
referring to - Agent 20-x86.exe. Whenever I have gone to MS or Windows Update
it has automatically checked my computer for the most recent updating files
as well as critical and non critical updates. Again, before going through a
lot of hassles tonight I would wait until tomorrow if possible and try
updating again. Many people seem to be encountering problems today and it
could very well be a problem with the update site. It's happened before in
the not too distant past.
rbriggs2

"Speedy G." wrote:

> ***Before I go on I must say the file that is in question is
> WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe and not the one previously mentioned***. From
> what I understand this is supposed to install the windows update engine or
> files only. Am I correct? If so, should this file reinstall windows update
> files only and maybe clear up whatever is causing updates to fail? If I don't
> have to do an XP repair, I won't. My windows XP installation is fine. It's
> only failing to install the updates from windows update. This problem has
> been going on for a few weeks now and have exhausted alot of troubleshooting
> techniques. Thanks
> rbriggs2
> "rbriggs2" wrote:
>
> > This is beyond my technical expertise with windows but I would recommend
> > waiting a day or two before attempting to re-install your operating system. I
> > have experienced the same problem in the past and today (8/13) with the
> > update site. In the past I found that the the problem was with the MS website
> > and was rectified within a day. If you are convinced the problem is in the
> > installation of your operating system there is an option available to
> > repair/update a previous install on the windows XP disc. Load the disc and it
> > will give you options to install or to update/repair without deleting other
> > programs on your computer. Unless you have a 64 bit version of windows the
> > file you referenced will not be compatible with earlier 32bit windows
> > operating sytems. Don't be rash unless you don't mind having to start from
> > scratch should things get really haywire. Patience may pay off. Good Luck.
> > Bob
> >
> > "Speedy G." wrote:
> >
> > > Hi all,
> > > I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> > > updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> > > updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> > > troubleshooting
> > > techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> > > "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> > > with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> > > reinstall windows
> > > update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> > > files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
> > >

Hi,
I exoerience the same problem since about 1 month. No error messages on why
any of the downloaded updates cannot be installed. I run XP2 with NIS 2006.
Disabling NIS does not fix the problem.
Any suggestions? Thanks

"Speedy G." wrote:

> Hi all,
> I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> troubleshooting
> techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> reinstall windows
> update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
>

Clean install of Win XP Pro then install of SP2 from CD. Windows update more
broken than a champagne glass thrown off the top of the Empire State Building!

Eventually got it to work, so I'll catalog what I did and see if that helps
out people:

- Set Windows updates to Download and install when I tell you.

- Went to the Windows update site which FAILED.

- Went to the Microsoft Update site, which almost worked once. (Kept IE
window open)

- Went to bed for many hours!

- Thought I'd download the individual updates and do it completely manually
so visited: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...en/default.asp
Allowed it to install a different version of Windows update ActiveX -
suspect this is an older version from a time when Windows update actually
worked realiably.

- Went back to the Microsoft update IE windows and did a refresh.
This time it came back in seconds saying that it had 55 patches to do.
Even better the updates had been downloaded in the background since they were
all on the computer.

- Let Microsoft update install the patches.

LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN THE LATEST MICROSOFT UPDATE IS JUNK AND NEEDS TO BE
FIXED. LETS GO BACK TO AN OLDER VERSION THAT WORKS UNTIL MS FIX IT PROPERLY.

Hope this helps someone else out. As I said, it was trial and error and I
didn't want to take the chance of trying it again to confirm it was a fix...
someone else will need to do the confirmation step!


Regards

John

Hi Scott, I had one of your problems namely a missing PRO11.MSI. I opened
Winword & on the right hand side it says "connect to MS Office online", right
click this and try downloading directly from the site. Good luck.
--
PatH6677


"scott" wrote:

> hello im missing two files one SKU011.CAB. the otherPRO11.MSI. im trying to
> be legit, i have a copy of xp pro now and office 2003 can't do office or
> windows updates please help. scott ive tried to delete things the microsoft
> rep said to, no avail. tried to repair and install.
>
> "rbriggs2" wrote:
>
> > This is beyond my technical expertise with windows but I would recommend
> > waiting a day or two before attempting to re-install your operating system. I
> > have experienced the same problem in the past and today (8/13) with the
> > update site. In the past I found that the the problem was with the MS website
> > and was rectified within a day. If you are convinced the problem is in the
> > installation of your operating system there is an option available to
> > repair/update a previous install on the windows XP disc. Load the disc and it
> > will give you options to install or to update/repair without deleting other
> > programs on your computer. Unless you have a 64 bit version of windows the
> > file you referenced will not be compatible with earlier 32bit windows
> > operating sytems. Don't be rash unless you don't mind having to start from
> > scratch should things get really haywire. Patience may pay off. Good Luck.
> > Bob
> >
> > "Speedy G." wrote:
> >
> > > Hi all,
> > > I've been having the installation failure of critical an non critical
> > > updates on the windows update website. Everytime I try to install the
> > > updates, it would fail. I am currently running XPsp2 and I have tried various
> > > troubleshooting
> > > techniques here in this newsgroup, to no avail. I came across this file
> > > "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x64.exe" and was wondering if this file would help
> > > with my installing updates failure problem. Is this file supposed to
> > > reinstall windows
> > > update onto my pc? Should I install this file to reinstall the windows update
> > > files and maybe fix the install failure problems of updates?
> > >

Rountrip,
I tried what you suggested about the older windowsupdate v4 and it
works, but when it scans for updates for my XPsp2 it not only gives me
updates for windows mediacenter and many foreign language updates, but it
also lists already installed updates that I have already installed along time
ago. Users using this method really must know what they are installing and
why.
I wonder why v.4 works somewhat and v.6 gives me a very hard time
installing updates???


"Roundtrip" wrote:

> Clean install of Win XP Pro then install of SP2 from CD. Windows update more
> broken than a champagne glass thrown off the top of the Empire State Building!
>
> Eventually got it to work, so I'll catalog what I did and see if that helps
> out people:
>
> - Set Windows updates to Download and install when I tell you.
>
> - Went to the Windows update site which FAILED.
>
> - Went to the Microsoft Update site, which almost worked once. (Kept IE
> window open)
>
> - Went to bed for many hours!
>
> - Thought I'd download the individual updates and do it completely manually
> so visited: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...en/default.asp
> Allowed it to install a different version of Windows update ActiveX -
> suspect this is an older version from a time when Windows update actually
> worked realiably.
>
> - Went back to the Microsoft update IE windows and did a refresh.
> This time it came back in seconds saying that it had 55 patches to do.
> Even better the updates had been downloaded in the background since they were
> all on the computer.
>
> - Let Microsoft update install the patches.
>
> LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN THE LATEST MICROSOFT UPDATE IS JUNK AND NEEDS TO BE
> FIXED. LETS GO BACK TO AN OLDER VERSION THAT WORKS UNTIL MS FIX IT PROPERLY.
>
> Hope this helps someone else out. As I said, it was trial and error and I
> didn't want to take the chance of trying it again to confirm it was a fix...
> someone else will need to do the confirmation step!
>
>
> Regards
>
> John
>

v6 Windows and Microsoft update now works on my system after following this
procedure. There must be something that is v4 that makes it more stable! Best
of all Windows update only now takes about 4 - 5 minutes to run, find the
updates and catalog the ones that are required.

People could use the v4 fix to the point where they have a listing of
updates and then retry the v6 WUS website. This may well work and hopefully
will list the correct state of Windows update rather than bring up
everything! As I said, this was a fresh reinstall so I wanted all those
updates anyway and therefore didn't observe your problem.

Glad my find is helping out some people with problems.

Regards

John


"Speedy G." wrote:

> Rountrip,
> I tried what you suggested about the older windowsupdate v4 and it
> works, but when it scans for updates for my XPsp2 it not only gives me
> updates for windows mediacenter and many foreign language updates, but it
> also lists already installed updates that I have already installed along time
> ago. Users using this method really must know what they are installing and
> why.
> I wonder why v.4 works somewhat and v.6 gives me a very hard time
> installing updates???